British Lord resigns from parliament amid drug and sex scandal

Baron John Sewel has resigned from the House of Lords in the wake of a video, which purportedly showed the married politician snorting cocaine with prostitutes in a hotel room.

Lord Sewel, who had been tasked with enforcing standards in the British parliament, announced he was leaving his post in a letter to the Clerk of Parliaments today.

The 69-year-old apologised for the "pain and embarrassment" caused by the video’s release.

"The question of whether my behaviour breached the Code of Conduct is important, but essentially technical," Lord Sewel wrote.

"The bigger questions are whether my behaviour is compatible with membership of the House of Lords and whether my continued membership would damage and undermine public confidence in the House of Lords.

"I believe the answer to both these questions means that I can best serve the House by leaving it."

He had already resigned from his roles within the parliament after the scandal broke on Sunday, while police also raided the Lord's London home yesterday.